Too much there, not enough here

Mark's Melon Patch Owner Mark Daniel

To deal with all of the water, hundred of thousands of acres of farmland in Missouri and along the Mississippi were intentionally flooded. According to the Army Corps of Engineers, damage estimates are already at $300 million.

Agriculture economists say they're watching closely what's happened in the mid west, they say they'll know more by the end of the week what kind of effect to could have on the field in southwest Georgia.

It's the story of too much and too little. In the mid-west farmland along the Mississippi River has received too much water, intentionally flooded in some cases to save towns. In Terrell County it's the case of too little water.

Farmers are forced to water nearly every other day to keep their crops from withering on the vine. They know what's happened states away could have an affect on the prices they'll see.

"It can certainly impact, it depends on what all it damage out there, any kind of damage creates less of a supply and so it certain could have some impact," said Mark's Melon Patch Owner Mark Daniel.

They know it's the simple case of supply and demand, and if the supply takes a big hit, it can drive up prices.

"If an area gets wiped out that usually drives prices up," said Tommy Mc's Owner Tommy McDowell.

Dr. Nathan Smith, an Agricultural Economist with UGA in Tifton says a lot will depend on if those fields dry out by the end of May and can be replanted. If they can the price impact won't be as much, but if they can't those lost crops could mean more money for corn, wheat, or soybean farmers who have the crops to sell.

"You just have to roll with the punches, I've been in this deal a long time and you never know what's in store," Daniel said.

Unfortunately it could also turn into higher prices at the store for consumers.

"The more uncertainty, the more turbulent prices tend to be and the more up and down they tend to go," Daniel said.

Economists say a lot depends on how many acres are affected and how many can't be replanted, and that won't be known until the waters out west recede.

At UGA they say, planting is already behind this year, which also isn't helping. They say it will all come down to yield losses which will have a direct effect on prices.

Meteorologist say the flooding isn't expected to fully dry up until early June in some areas.